After surprise visit to Pakistan, Modi arrives in Delhi

New Delhi: After paying a brief but symbolically significant visit to Lahore on his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif’s birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here late on Friday evening.

The Prime Minister was received by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at Indira Gandhi International Airport here.

Modi paid a surprise visit to Pakistan on his way to New Delhi from Afghanistan after a two-day visit to Russia.

Prime ministers Modi and Sharif met at the latter’s residence Raiwind Palace, the ancestral home of the Sharifs, in Lahore, where he also discussed Indo-Pak relations with him. “Beyond the noise, a personal connect. The Prime Ministers discuss #IndiaPakistan relations in Raiwind,” tweeted Vikas Swarup, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.

The relations between India and Pakistan have witnessed some positive developments in recent past. The two countries recently decided to launch a comprehensive dialogue after Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif met in Paris.

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Modi visited Kabul, where both India and Afghanistan agreed to increase and expand training opportunities for Afghan National Security and Defence Forces in relevant Indian institutions, based on the requirements of Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Modi also reiterated India’s full support to Afghanistan for strengthening its defensive capabilities for preserving its unity and territorial integrity and ensuring security, and strongly supported Afghan government-led reconciliation process, which respects the red lines drawn by the people of Afghanistan and the international community. (ANI)